President Donald Trump is expected to unveil a $12 billion aid package for American farmers on Monday, offering long-awaited relief to an agricultural sector battered by months of uncertainty surrounding U.S.–China trade tensions. According to a White House official, the announcement will be made during an afternoon roundtable featuring Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, and a group of farmers who have borne the brunt of fluctuating commodity markets.
The package includes up to $11 billion in one-time payments through a new Agriculture Department program designed to stabilize farm income after a turbulent stretch. News of the initiative surfaced Sunday, following early reporting from Bloomberg that the administration was preparing a substantial support plan as part of its broader strategy to ease the financial strain created by the trade war.
For many farmers, the aid comes at a pivotal moment. After more than a year of halted purchases, China has recently resumed buying U.S. soybeans, signaling a partial thaw in relations between the two economic giants. In late November, Beijing purchased its largest batch of American soybeans in two years, a move that briefly pushed prices upward and raised hopes across the Midwest. However, China remains well short of its 12-million-ton soybean purchase commitment under a recent bilateral agreement.
Speaking at a New York Times conference last week, Bessent described China’s renewed purchases as moving in a “perfect cadence,” insisting the nation is on track to uphold its side of the deal. Yet farmers remain wary. Many recall the financial blow suffered when China sought alternative suppliers—most notably Argentina—during the height of the trade dispute. The Treasury Department’s separate $20 billion currency swap arrangement with Argentina only intensified frustrations among U.S. growers who believed Washington was bolstering a competitor while domestic producers languished.
Despite assurances that the swaps ultimately generated a profit, the sentiment among many farmers is that the support comes later than needed. Still, the administration hopes the new aid package will offer stability at a time when global market shifts, lingering tariffs, and geopolitical maneuvering continue to dictate the fate of American agriculture.
